Seven Days
by Quinni
Summary: The week following the day that brought Allison, Andrew, Brian, Bender and Claire together...their thoughts and fears, and also their decisions.
1. Inner turmoil

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these Basket cases, Athletes, Princesses, Criminals or Brains. This is just as well, because my robot needs food…**

**Summary: **Allison considers her position as the Basket case, John ponders his next move with Claire, Brian gets depressed about his status as the Brain, Andrew tries to decide what he wants and Claire makes excuses as to why she has to see Bender again...

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**SUNDAY: **

**Allison: **

_I have problems._

As a Basket Case, why should anyone even consider I have problems? I am probably too insane to understand what problems are. But have them I do, and they are making me insane.

I never thought I would have a boyfriend. Boys don't look at me. They don't like me and I don't talk to them. I look at them sometimes, but only so I can see them lean over to their friends and wonder aloud why the Crazy Chick is staring at them.

I like Andrew. I don't understand why. He is very different to me. He is sane for one thing. And he doesn't mind that I'm insane. He just thinks I look pretty in pink and he knows I'm good to kiss.

I think I'll kiss him on Monday. Yes. I think it might be a good experiment. But if he doesn't kiss me back. That would hurt my feelings. And I don't want to have hurt feelings. They don't really mix with insanity that well. They taste rather bitter.

And what about the others? Brian, the Brain. He might be good to kiss. I don't think I want to though. Something about what I've seen of other boys makes me think they wouldn't like to be kissed by me. And Bender would probably light me on fire. I wonder what that would feel like. Maybe like Andrews kiss, warm and fun. But probably not.

I like our Princess, Claire. She taught me about being pretty. And I don't think she will ignore me on Monday. I don't mind her being conceited, not the way Brian does. It suits her, the way it never suited me. I wonder if one day, I could be a Princess. Would Andrew still like me that way?

**John:**

_God I'm pathetic._

I woke up this morning with Claire's earring still in my ear. If I hawked it, I bet I'd have enough money for a motorcycle. And I know she probably wouldn't care. I was just an experiment to her. A girl as pretty as her, as rich as her, she'll probably end up with someone like Andrew. But I still don't want to sell the earring.

And what about that Dweeby Von Sleazy-Brian? Does he expect me to wave like a jackass in the corridor? I guess I could say hi, and I don't mind Allison. She probably wouldn't talk anyway, just squeak at me and hide under her jacket. I suppose Andy'd wave. But would I bother waving back?

And now Monday is coming. It's not like I'll actually go to school though. I never go on Mondays. I don't usually go on Tuesdays either. Or many other days. But something tells me I might be going to school this Monday, and I might be going to see Claire.

**Brian:**

"_I don't approve of this."_

My Dad yelled at me over and over when he smelt my jacket, the strong odour of marijuana still fresh. I tried to tell him it was just that I sat next to a pothead in detention, but he didn't believe me. He hates looking at me now. He thinks I'm worthless, and I know he's right.

The only thing I ever had was my grades, and they've gone to shit. And the people I consider my friends probably won't even say hi to me tomorrow. Why should they? I'm just the Brain. I'm not a person, just a grade average. And that's what I am now. Average. I don't approve of this.

**Andrew:**

_I'm a fucking prick.  
_

I kissed her. It felt great, and I know she's counting on me to do it again tomorrow. I just can't. My Dad would go nuts if he knew I was dating a Basket Case like Allison. And I couldn't handle another one of his lectures. I already know I'm quitting the wrestling team.

I don't know how I'm going to get into college though. Not with my grades, I know that much. But I can't keep doing what I've been doing. It's going to kill me. Last night, at Stubby's party...all I could think about was how much I wanted to be somewhere else. I wanted to be with Allison and the others. I don't want to live this kind of life anymore. I don't want to be a wrestler, I don't want a scholarship, I don't want my friends and I don't want that pressure. And I don't know if I want Allison.

**Claire:**

He has my earring. So I have to see him. It's not like I actually want to. But he has my earring. So I have to.

And if I accidentally fall onto his lips, well, it's not my fault. He probably won't even acknowledge me anyway. But he'll have to. Because he has my earring.

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Okay...so that was the first chapter of my 7 chapter fic...so if you like, review and stay tuned. if you didn't like...review and tell me why not...then stay tuned... 


	2. Beginnings

**Summary: **John and Claire have an...interesting...encounter, Brian cheers up a bit, Allison feels all too normal and Andrew realises something very important….

**AN**: I realise this is about 6 times longer than the last chapter, but I had a lot more to say in this one…

And thanks for all your awesome reviews, I love getting them so keep it up: D

**MONDAY:**

**John:**

_She's a funny girl._

Today I was walking down the corridor, going toward my locker, when I saw her. All dressed in pink, her hair and make-up done, Claire was waiting for me. At my locker. She was smiling too, when she saw me, and she gave a little wave. And that's when I felt it. This weird feeling, mainly in my knees, like if she would just smile at me again, everything would be good.

"Hey." She smiled shyly at me when I got closer.

"Hey." I said, trying to act unimpressed.

"Can I help you with something?"

"Umm...yeah...can we go somewhere private?"

I should've known.

"Actually, I'd rather we do it here if that's okay Princess?"

She looked pretty hurt.

"Well if that's how you're going to be John, I don't think this is going to work."

As she went to walk away, I grabbed her arm.

"I'm sorry ok? I just have to get used to-"

But I couldn't finish, she was already kissing me. Breaking apart briefly, I looked at her incredulously for a moment, but as she was about to start talking, I shook my head, and pulled her back toward me.

Quickly, as fast as it had begun, it was over. She pushed me away, smiled at me, and headed off to class. Smiling stupidly, I slumped against my locker. After the first bell had gone and everyone shuffled off to class, I turned around and went to open my locker, but I had a nasty surprise waiting for me.

"Shit!"

I yelled, and the last of the stragglers in the hallway turned around to look at me. Shaking my head I searched my memory and came up blank.

_Where the hell was my lock?_

Cursing, I opened my locker and saw all my stuff was still there.

_Who would want to steal it anyway?_

I didn't actually go to class in the morning, I just sat in the library thinking about Claire. It sounds dumb but it was the one place I had in common with her, that everytime I went there would make me think about her.

It wasn't until lunch that I realised the drawbacks associated with feeling that way about her. I did whatever she wanted me to, because...and this sounded really stupid...because I didn't want her to be mad at me.

Usually I try and get as far away from girls I like this much as I can, saves me getting hurt. But Claire...everything feels right about her. And I think when she knows me, really knows me...she won't get scared. I never trusted someone like that before.

**Brian:**

_It wasn't aregular lunch._

Instead of sitting with the rest of the Latin Club in the Foreign Language section of the library for an hour, I went to Bender's locker when the bell went.

He and Claire were there, he had her backed up against the lockers, and she was smiling at him. He was stroking her hair, and leaning against the locker on one arm.

"Hi guys!"

I went up and stood next to them. Turning around slowly, Bender's neck cracked, and he looked at me the way he had that first time in detention, like he might actually kill me.

"Hey Bri!" he said brightly, and I smiled again, thinking he had totally forgiven me in that millisecond.

"So...you were planning on having lunch with us?"

Bender looked at the paper bag in my hand, and I nodded. Claire slipped out from under Bender's arm and stood beside me.

"That's great Brian. This'll be fun, having lunch together."

While she was speaking, she was looking at John, furiously indicating to him. But he just rolled his eyes and I looked at my feet.

"You know what, forget about it. I'll just go to Latin Club."

I turned to walk away.

'Wait! Dork!" John grabbed my lunch out of my hands. I turned around and Claire smiled at me encouragingly while John rummaged through my lunch bag.

"So what are we having?"

I hang out with nerds normally, people like me. But they've never really known me. They know my grades, my favourite aspect of Chemistry, that I want to go to Harvard.

But they don't know about the gun. Or about my self loathing. Or that I got high on Saturday and acted like a Jack Ass in front of total strangers.

Now I know though. That I don't need to hang out with people like me to feel accepted. And that if I fail one class I don't need to die. Those total strangers taught me that. The ones I now call my friends.

**Andrew:**

It was the second last class of the day, and the only person I'd seen so far was Claire in the hallway. When she waved I nodded back, but that was the easy part. Nobody batted an eyelid on the wrestling team if I befriended Claire. But what about the rest of the Breakfast Club? What about Allison?

I spent all of yesterday revising my speech. Today at practice I was going to march up to Coach and say I was quitting. No excuses. No delays. I was out of there.

_Who the fuck was I kidding?_

I had marched right into practice, straight up to the coach and done exactly what he told me to for two hours before school. And I was going to do it again this afternoon. Because I don't have the strength to stand up to him, or my Dad, or my friends. And I was going to tell Allison I couldn't be with her, or anywhere near her. This was all just too hard.

But then Allison walked through the door.

She was wearing her hair the same way as Saturday, and her face was just as nervous, and pretty. She had my jumper tied around her shoulders, but she also had on an enormous black hooded jumper. Her skirt went to her knees, and she was wearing her tattered Gym Boots. Somehow she was a perfect mix of the person I knew Saturday morning, and Saturday afternoon. I was staring, mouth open, when she came right over to me and dumped her books next to mine on the desk. Biting her lip, she cocked her head to one side. Without a word, she stuck out her hand and pushed my mouth closed. Squeaking her satisfaction, she sat down. When I turned to smile at her, she just passed me a picture she pulled from her note book.

It was me, a portrait sort of. I was sitting on the bench in the gym. She must have drawn it this morning, I was wearing my uniform and my knee was taped up. I realised she must have come to training, and sat with the other girlfriends and parents in the back of the gym. For two hours. Before I could say thank you she leaned over and kissed me. That's when I knew.

I'm not going to training tomorrow.

**Claire**

_I am such a hypocrite_

I spent my lunchtime with John and Brian and Allison. Brian helped me with my Trigonometry and I watched John teach Allison how to light her shoe on fire. I was half expecting her to try and eat the flames, but she settled for half of Brian's sandwich with some gummy bears and raisins. We all just sat and watched her make this little concoction, and John went as far as ask her what it tasted like. With her mouth full she couldn't answer, but she offered some to him.

"Not for me thanks…but I'm sure Claire would like some."

Looking hopefully over at me, Allison held out the sandwich. When I shook my head John flicked a raisin at me.

"Don't pretend you don't love it!"

Allison and Brian looked sideways and smiled at each other, I blushed. John put his arm around me and I felt my legs tremble under the table.

"Hey Bri!" Brian looked at him.

"I bet you wish you could do this!"

And he kissed me again, right in the middle of the cafeteria. Pulling my head away, I tried to motion to Brian and Allison. But they had picked up their lunch trays and were leaving. Using his thumb, John turned my head to face him again.

"You do realise that you're entire group of jocks, cheerleaders, snobs and preps are staring at us don't you?"

John wasn't grinning anymore.

"So?" I asked, trying to convince myself along with him that I didn't care.

"That's my girl." John smiled and kissed me again.

But I cared. A lot more than I thought I would. Because when I was waiting for him at his locker this morning I never expected everything to be so…public. I just hoped that the girls would still speak to me when I tried talking to them tomorrow.

And John still has my earring.

**Allison**

_It's bad_

I have never been honest with people. It's not just a habit it's a medical condition. I am a compulsive liar. But when I'm with Andrew…everything changes. I tell the truth, I do weird stuff (or should I say weirder stuff) and I act different.

I went to his wrestling practice today. I always get to school early, but I figured that instead of sit in the art room throwing paint at a canvas for two hours I would go and see him wrestle.

I think sweaty boys rolling on the floor together are funny. But apparently it isn't as funny as I thought it was because everyone was staring at me in the back of the gym when I was laughing. So I did what I always do. I glared at them until they stopped.

I drew him a picture. I don't often do portraits; I always seemed to turn people's faces evil so I gave up a while ago. But the pencil strokes seemed to flow out of me when I watched him on the bench. I wanted to give it to him then, but he left before I could walk over to him.

I spent the morning the way I usually did, sulking in the back of my classes, ignoring the teacher's attempts to include me in discussions. But all I could think about were the others, the Breakfast Club. I drew so many faces, so many things about them I could remember. I took Andrew's patch out of my bag and stared at it for a whole period, trying to think of where he was, what he was doing.

Was this what it felt like to be normal?

I spent my lunch with Claire and John and Brian. John showed me how to light my shoe on fire, and I had fun watching him and Claire pretend they were interested in me and Brian. I ended up leaving the table with Brian soon after I arrived; I took him to the art room and did his portrait properly. I could only remember the way he looked before, and that's not enough to do a portrait. You have to incorporate someone's smell, their feel, their noise.

I saw Andrew after lunch. In geography I sat with him. And I did my little experiment. It worked. He took the picture, and he didn't push me away. He kissed me back. Underneath the table, his sweaty runner joined with my foot, and after class he walked me to my locker. He kissed me again, in front of everyone. At some point, I guess I closed my eyes, because when I opened them again he was halfway up the hallway.

Some guys on the wrestling team had joined him and one of them laughed, pointing at me.

"Who's that lover boy?"

Andrew looked back at me, and I quickly looked away. Heading down the hallway in the opposite direction, I resolved never to try this kind of experiment EVER AGAIN.

'Hey Allison!"

I heard Andrew call me. Turning around to glare at him, I gritted my teeth.

'Guys, that's my girlfriend." He said loud enough for me to hear. Smiling at him, I squeaked my approval and kept moving to the guidance office.

It wasn't until I got inside that I realised what it all meant. A boyfriend. Friends. Normality.

It's bad.

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Ha ha! Did you actually think I was going to break up Ally and Andy? They're my favourite couple! And anyway, I have great plans for those two mwahahaha!

Btw **midnight blue 88 **I have decided that since my miniscule brain could not possibly come up with enough quotes for EVERYONE in EVERY CHAPTER, I will always have one person with no quote.

As always, lots of feedback please! Tell me if you think Allison is too sane or John is too much of an arse hole….whatever you think, drop me a review and I promise you I will be very appreciative!


	3. Dialogue

**Summary: **Five conversations. Two characters in each. Simple. Or not.

**A/N:** I have decided not to follow rules so much. Quotes may be a little twisted and the next couple of chapters will probably have more of a theme. I am just trying something new so tell me what you think.

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**TUESDAY**

**Brian:**

I think having friends, proper friends that is, is a sort of compromise in itself.

Bender was waiting at my locker at the start of school; I don't know how he knew where it was, and I was kind of scared of asking. When I got there, I smiled at him, it seemed the right thing to do, but I was terrified of what he wanted from me.

"You're a nerd aren't you?" he said quietly as I pulled books out of my bag and stowed them in my locker. I looked at him for a moment and he grinned.

"I mean, Intelligent American. That's the right term isn't it Bri?"

I sighed.

"What do you want John?" I asked tiredly, because as much as I like him, I knew he wouldn't come and see me if he didn't want something.

"I need to pass Trig. this semester. Otherwise I'm booted."

His answer was abrupt, and I felt my mouth drop open.

All I could say was; "Oh."

Pushing my mouth closed, John shook his head.

"I don't want your pity. This is a trade."

I knew the guy had learning issues, but how could he not know a trade?

"John, you need to give me something too if this is a trade."

John rolled his eyes.

"I know, I'm not retarded Dork. Here's the deal, you help me pass Trig., and I do your work in Shop."

"Are we even in the same class?' I asked tentatively, telling myself I hadn't made my decision yet, despite the feeling of hope in my chest that was rising rapidly.

John nodded.

"Yeah, I checked."

I cocked my head to one side.

"You put a lot of thought into this. How long have you been failing Trig.?"

I had never been a fan of that abbreviation, but I wanted John to think I was cool.

"Since the start of the semester. I have this thing with classes..." John trailed off, I motioned with my head to go on.

"I don't go okay Brainiac? Look, just tutor me okay, I'll fix your fuckin' elephant and do your assignments. I get mine done quick enough."

I thought about it for a moment.

"Okay." I said quietly, and John smiled.

"But on one condition." I said mysteriously, and John's smile dropped. "You stop calling me Dork."

John smiled again, shaking his head. Slinging his arm around my shoulders, he steered me toward the exit that lead to the oval.

"Bri," he said happily, "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship..."

**Andrew:**

_I can't believe this is actually happening to me._

I have to keep on telling myself that, that it isn't just some weird dream that I'll wake up out of any second.

I skipped the last period before lunch to watch Allison in the art room.

It was her favourite class I could tell. She still set up her easel at the back, and acted all anti-social, but she had this great glow about her.

I felt kind of like a stalker, watching her for thirty minutes while she fiddled and critically appraised her work, I couldn't see what she was painting, just the reactions she had when she saw what she had made.

Finally the bell went and I waited for her outside the door. She didn't look surprised when she saw me, just happy. Pulling her aside, I stroked her hair and kissed her.

"You look so different in there Ally." I said after a while.

Suddenly she looked uncomfortable and shoved me aside and went to storm away, but I caught her arm.

"Ally what's wrong?" I asked looking her in the eye, but she glared back at me.

"That's what's wrong!" she yelled, like she had in the library, "Ally! A nickname! Why do I need a nickname? It's so stupid! So normal!"

She was being ridiculous, but I tried being patient.

"Because I thought since you were my _girlfriend_," I put emphasis on the word, "that I should be able to call you something cute."

She pouted and shrugged. Looking at the floor she spoke softly.

"Mother called me that before...when..."

"...when she still cared." I finished her sentence and reached out, pushing her chin up so we were looking into each other's eyes. There were now tears on both her cheeks and her eyes showed intense pain like nothing I'd ever seen.

"I'm not like her. I'm not going to stop caring."

With that I kissed her and hugged her. I had never hugged a girl before, at least not one that I had liked that way. I don't do hugs. Not normally. But Allison. It's like; when I'm with her I'm a different person to the guy that hangs out with the Jocks from the wrestling team, or the submissive son that eats dinner quietly with his family. The funny thing is, this new person is feeling more and more like who I really am.

"Do you want to have lunch with me?" she asked cautiously.

I thought about her proposal.

"Do I have to try your food?" I asked jokingly.

Allison smiled and I pulled her down the hallway toward my locker. When I pulled out my large paper bag stuffed with food she snatched it off me and looked inside. I was afraid of what she would do next but she just threw it back at me.

"Well Andy, this is a very nutritious lunch," she put on John's voice, "All the food groups are represented..."

**John**

_Why did I do that?_

Everyone knows I am an asshole. I know I am an asshole. I acted like an asshole to Claire on Saturday and I tend to stick to my instincts. But I think I've really lost her now.

I was being tutored by Brian at lunch (I don't even call him dork in my head now. Weird) and she was at my locker again. We had a brief kiss and I went to put my hand on her thigh but she pulled away.

"Where were you at lunch?" her voice was gentle, like she didn't want to trigger an outburst.

"You know the usual, smoking dope with my friends behind the gym."

"John."

"Why do you care?"

She looked embarrassed.

"Oh no reason. I was going to introduce you to the girls but I couldn't find you so..."

"Oh okay, so now you want to show off your rebel boyfriend and your friends can marvel at how Claire snared the poor guy with the attitude problem!"

I felt pretty pleased with myself until I saw the anger building in her face.

"You were the one who pushed me to go public with this so don't get all weird on me just because I want to tell my friends that I'm dating you and not just sucking face in the hallway!"

"My God you are such a spoilt _brat_! News Flash: _the girls_ don't give a shit about you and we are not dating!"

"You are such a jerk."

"You're such a Princess!"

"Go to hell."

"Have you heard your own voice recently? I'm already there!"

By now she was crying again and as angry as I was I couldn't help but hate myself.

"I hate you John Bender."

"Whatever." I turned and opened my locker trying to look careless. But she just stood there for a minute doing nothing. Finally I turned back to her and pulled out the earring she gave me.

"Here," I said, throwing it at her feet, "Consider yourself single once more."

She looked so pathetic. Tears smudging her make up, snot edging out of her nose and hair all messed. But she just slowly bent down and picked up the earring, and came back up again and looked me in the eye.

"It was a gift."

Leaning over, she pried my fingers apart gently and put the earring back in my palm. I didn't try and stop her. As soon as she had she closed my fist again and ran in the opposite direction.

**Allison:**

_I did it._

I never thought _I_ would do it. Nobody would pick me for someone that would've done it already, and if someone told me I would have do it a week ago I would have squeaked angrily at them. But now I've done it. And I feel different.

Today,

on the oval,

for the first time ever,

_I counselled a friend_

I went outside just after lunch because whenever I go to PE I usually just go to the guidance counsellor's office but I didn't feel like it today. I think my head is kid of clearing up, like a cloud was on top of it and it was all dark but now the cloud has moved and it's all sunny. I don't like the sun much. But I like the light.

I went onto the oval and sat behind the bleachers and took out my sketch pad, because when the oval is muddy and the boys come out to play football they make great pictures. The smell, the filth, the groaning and swearing and pain. It's disgusting. I love it.

But then John turned up, and when he saw me he rolled his eyes and came over, and sat next to me. He took out a packet of cigarettes and offered them to me. So I took one, and then he took one and put it in his mouth. So I copied him. Then he took out a lighter, shaped like the body of a naked woman and I leaned forward like I saw girls do in the bathrooms when they were lighting their cigarettes. When he had lit the cigarette I just let it sit in my mouth for a minute while he inhaled and exhaled his quietly. Finally he looked at me and laughed. He took a deep breath of smoke and then breathed it out again, motioning for me to copy him. So I did, but it really dried out my throat, and I coughed. I pulled it out of my mouth and held it in one hand. John laughed again and pulled a flask out of his other pocket, unscrewing the lid and passing it to me. I took a big gulp, but it just made my throat burn. I didn't cough though. I just swallowed a couple of times and it felt a bit better. John was still smiling at me. So I glared at him and took another puff of the cigarette, a big one and breathed it out as easily as I could.

"Well done," he said clapping, "You've mastered smoking and drinking. Now why are you really here?"

I stayed quiet and took another puff of the cigarette.

"Why are you here?" I said eventually and John just shrugged.

"Tell me yours and I'll tell you mine."

I glared at him and decided to tell him the truth.

"Andy is confusing me."

"Andy's confusing."

I glared at him and he just adjusted himself in his spot. He had finished his cigarette and took out another one, lighting it and exhaling the smoke gracefully, slowly. It was then that I decided to start sketching him. I stubbed my cigarette on the ground and picked up my book. While I began drawing his outline, he breathed smoke in my face.

"Andy. Andy. Andy, Andy, Andy..." John started saying and l looked up at him.

"What's up with you two anyway? Are you just good friends or are you actually tagging each other?"

"What's up with you and Claire?" I asked defensively, knowing he would have to admit what was going on now, he'd promised. I kept drawing while I waited for his answer and I noticed that my frustration was giving the drawing fire, the fire that I first saw in John on Saturday.

"She's Claire Standish. I'm John Bender. How do you think its going?" he said savagely after a few more puffs of his cigarette.

I didn't say anything, just kept drawing. Andy and Claire and Brian always answered back, always tried saying smart stuff when John was mean. I had decided to let him be mean, he would stop if I just let him say it, let the poison out.

"I thought if I made her tell everyone that this would be better for us, I wouldn't feel so alone in this," John said eventually and I looked back up at him.

When he met my eyes I just said, "You don't have to be alone. Not anymore."

But he just looked away and threw his cigarette butt in the direction of the sport class out on the oval.

"If we're not alone anymore, how come you're out here instead of inside with your boyfriend?"

I looked back down at my drawing and started on his eyes. Cruel, dark, harsh eyes. Like him.

"He's not who he thinks he is. I need to show him." I said slowly and John laughed again, hard.

"He's exactly who he thinks he is. You just don't see him for _what _he is. He's not like you; he's not like some abstract artist. He's a colour by numbers. Simple."

"What about Claire? What's she? A packet of cheap cigarettes or a Cuban cigar?"

My approach was vicious but it was about time someone saw the fog that he took with him everywhere. I was just adding wisp strokes to his hair in the drawing when he shoved the flask under my nose again. Putting my drawing aside for a moment, I took another swig and looked sideways at him. He looked angry again. But I kept going.

"Well?"

"Neither! Okay? She's a spoilt brat, a Princess."

John's outburst was less scary than amusing. I read a book once, when I still tried to impress my parents with my reading, about a man who fell in love with a horrible woman, selfish and spoilt. But he loved her very much, for her beauty and her ability to surprise him. And I know that John still loves his Princess, the same way.

"The Princess won the Jesters heart." I said slyly, rounding off his nose in the drawing, and softly shading underneath, above his lip.

Instead of denying it, John just sighed and lit another cigarette.

"Yeah." He said simply, sighing.

"He won hers." I added hopefully and started doing the final shading on his chin.

"What about you and Andy? Did the Prisoner win the Painter's heart?"

John's face in the picture needed darker shading under his hair.

"Maybe. Maybe not." I said cheekily and John smiled, passing me another cigarette, but I turned this one down.

Finally the drawing was ready, so I ripped the sheet out of the book and passed it to John. He looked down at it and smiled, and passed it back.

"I'm not so much with the art appreciation." He said still smiling. He fidgeted and shuffled for a moment, adjusting in his seat, before getting out his flask again, but I snatched it off him.

"Go see your girlfriend lover boy; it's what you've been dying to do since you got here." I said in my best attempt at copying him.

Instead of telling me off John just looked at me for a moment and stood up, taking the flask off me and putting it back in his pocket.

"You're a shrink now?"

"No. Just a friend."

"Well then, as a friend let me tell you that Andy is fine the way he is. Don't make him be what he's not."

I reached up and pulled the naked lady lighter out of his pocket and the cigarette packet. It only had a few cigarettes in it.

"Okay you keep it." John said laughing and I decided instead of just stealing I would trade him.

"Wait." I said as he went to turn and go. I reached into my bag and searched for a while. Finally I found what I was looking for. When I put it in his hand he looked at me and back at it, but didn't say anything. He just turned and left.

**Claire**

_That was real shitty_

I can't believe I cried over that jerk again. In front of him. It took me about ten minutes in the bathroom to fix myself up. That must be a record.

I had a free period after that so I just went and sat in the library, skimming through old magazines. I don't think I read a single word, nothing sank in. All I could think about was why he was so mad at me. I didn't get it. I actually stood up to my friends at lunch, told them I was with him and then he goes and says; 'we're not dating'.

I was just sitting there staring at a photo of a swimsuit model but not taking any of it in when Brian came over.

"Oh hey Brian." I didn't give it much enthusiasm.

"Hi Claire." He said happily and sat down next to me, putting his chunky Physics textbooks next to my thin, shiny magazines.

"So what have you been up to today?" I asked.

"Well, nothing much, just classes. Oh and now I'm tutoring John so I was here at lunch, teaching him trigonometry."

A light bulb went on in my head.

"John. As in John Bender?"

"Yeah. As in John Bender. Your boyfriend."

I frowned and looked away.

"He's not my boyfriend…." I couldn't bring myself to say 'anymore'.

"Oh…" Brian looked uncomfortable and flicked over a page of his book. But there was something else in his eyes: hope.

"Brian." I said after a while and he looked at me again.

"Yes Claire?"

At that moment I saw John walk into the library and scan the tables, looking for me most likely. So I did what he knew I was good at. The bitchiest thing I could.

"Come here." I said quickly and grabbed Brian by the shirt, pressing my lips against his. Instead of pulling away like I thought he would, he stayed there for a while, until I finally let go of him. When we pulled back I looked at him and he smiled at me. But then I looked over at where John had been. He was gone.

But then I saw that Brian must've figured things out. I saw tears in his eyes but he wiped them away quickly. He just looked at me for a second and packed up his books quietly. Just as he picked up his things he said quietly;

"That was real shitty."

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry it took me so long to update, but I had a very bad case of writers block!

Now review!


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